8 Strings Pedal Steel

[Russell Adkins]

Are there any 8 string players here ?I know alot of 6 string guitars are being played these days , was just wondering how many 8 string Pedal steels are out there.

[Jim Sliff]

There are a bunch of us that play 8-string Fender 400's & 1000's, but most of the related activity has shifted to the Fender Pedal Steel page on Facebook.

I don't know of many other active 8-string pedal players. Some players own Multi-Kords and Gibson Electraharps, but rare;ly as primary instruments.

[David Ball]

I play an 8 string Jackson. Best sounding steel I've ever had. There are times that I wish it had two more strings, but not that many really. I have steels with more strings and I play them, but the Jackson sounds great and is fun to play.

Dave

[Peter Leavenworth]

My first double neck was a ‘60’s ShoBud with eight strings each, and a single knee lever - I never should have sold it. As I recall the pickups sounded rather thin but I was playing through a Princeton Reverb which probably didn’t help. Anyone out there ever encounter this guitar out there? I’d love to buy it back, it would have come with a flag extension on the knee lever made from the end of a broom handle - nearly 40 years ago!

[Nathan French]

I play a Fender 1000. Have not run out of strings so far

[Tom Wolverton]

I regularly gig with a Williams D-8. Works great.

[Andy Frantz]

I have a Hudson 8 string and think it is great. It has 3 pedals and 4 knees. Thinking of it as a 10 string, it is missing the 9th and the 1st. I'm sure I could make use of the 9 sometimes, but I don't really need it. As for the 1, I don't know what to do with the 2nd string, so I'm guessing the 1 would be sitting there unused, as well!

What do you other 8-string players do for strings? I've just been buying a standard 10-string set, but maybe there is a better option?

[Jack Hanson]

The former Emmons Company made 8-string push-pulls. Some are student models (GS-8?) and some look like 8-string Black Rocks:

They're not too common, but there are a few of 'em out there.

[Rich Sullivan]

I have been playing my "Ernie Ball" D-8 Bigsby as a pedal guitar for the last year or so. I had played non-pedal for about 26 years before I started playing with pedals. Of course this guitar was built as a cable and pulley guitar, but I have converted it to rods - with 4 floor pedals and 3 knee levers. I feel like I am now between 2 worlds. I probably sound more like a non-pedal player, but I am hooked on the pedals now. And yet I don't at all feel like I sound like a "real" pedal steel player either. But I sure am having fun playing it, with all of the increased possibilities.

[Dennis Montgomery]

I have a 1967 Fender 400 that I've heavily modded adding a couple knee levers and adjustable spring tension bolts

[Bob Russell]

Are there any 8 string players here ?I know alot of 6 string guitars are being played these days , was just wondering how many 8 string Pedal steels are out there.

I play a Fender 400 with 5 pedals and love it.

[Rick McNamara]

I play a Long Scale 400 with a Short Scale changer and 24&1/2" scale length. Its tuned to the bottom 8 of E9 Chromatic and has left side knee levers to raise and lower the E's. The Pup has been modified per Keith Cary. The pedal bar was reworked to use late style Fender pedals in an Emmons set-up with a typical Sho~Bud pedal bar mounting and spread! It also has a Don Blood armrest which is the greatest! Only thing I have still to do is add some Don Burrows adjustable stainless steel legs and I'll be good to go for now!

[Russell Adkins]

here is the reason i ask if there were any 8 string players , I built this guitar , i wanted something a little different so im doing 8 strings its a 3 and 3 , i have another in walnut and maple wood im doing the same with it , What copedent would you suggest ? this particular was built with aromatic cedar , smells good too , its all in fun and enjoyment on my part its even got a few knots in the wood .

[Tom Campbell]

Very nice looking guitar...and a bonus "smell"!!

Kind of reminds me of the "Jimmy Hudson" 6 string pedal steels.

Seems to be some growing interest in the 8 string pedal steel. I am transitioning from a U12 to a lap steel, and am currently trying the "palm lever...multibender"
option.

[Tom Wolverton]

[Donny Hinson]

If you want to hear what can be done on a simple 8-stringer 3-pedal steel without levers, just listen to Jimmy Day's "Steel and Strings" album. I have a Fender 400 (no levers) that I still like to play occasionally, as it sorta gets me "back to my roots".

[Pete Burak]

I have two 8-string Pedal Steels.
I have a Black-frame Sunburst-body D8 Fender 1000 with 8 black pedals. It is in really nice condition and works real well.
I also have a Sierra Crown Series S8-Uni, that started life as a Sierra "Rock-Slide" (looks exactly like the one pictured below, as also seen in the back of Guitar Player magazine back in the 70's) that was upgraded to Crown Series fold-up legs and pedal-rack, and 5 pedals and 4 knee levers. It also works really well, and uses a Sierra 10-string modular/removable pickup, so lots of pickup options available, but the single-coil it came with sounds great.
They both sound great and are fun to play

[Charlie McDonald]

I would eliminate strings 1 & 10, and raise 2 & 3.

[b0b]

I played an 8-string Desert Rose 5+5 for 7 years, but it's been in the case since I got my new Sierra S-10 last April. See https://b0b.com/wp/?page_id=551#s8.

[Jim Sliff]

I wouldn't even attempt to answer a copedent question without knowing what style you play. I've found some better for some things than others (especially with 8-strings). Because I don't play country I don't like to assume everyone else does either.

[b0b]

I wouldn't even attempt to answer a copedent question without knowing what style you play. I've found some better for some things than others (especially with 8-strings).

OPINION:

Having played an S-8 with 5+5 for 7+ years, I disagree with that statement. I played country, blues, rock, folk, surf, rock-a-billy, bluegrass, swing, jazz and ambient music on that 8-string. All of the notes and chords are there in multiple positions. Once you learn where everything is, your mind is the primary limitation.

The notion that copedent determines musical genre is a myth that refuses to die. It's been proven wrong on 12- and 10-string guitars, and it's no less wrong on 8-string instruments. Certain copy-cat licks may be difficult because of copedent differences, but playing true to a musical style is almost always possible.

END OF OPINION

That said, I'll think about your 3+3 and get back to you later.

[Jim Sliff]

The notion that copedent determines musical genre is a myth that refuses to die. It's been proven wrong on 12- and 10-string guitars, and it's no less wrong on 8-string instruments. Certain copy-cat licks may be difficult because of copedent differences, but playing true to a musical style is almost always possible.

That's not what I was saying - at least not in a strict sense. Sheesh!

I answered in a very general way for a couple of reasons - if a beginner asked the question and played country I'd tend to suggest E9 primarily because there are plenty of learning aids that can be adapted to 8-string - and far more players to render assistance.

OTOH if a beginning 8-string player said "I bought it to play country rock - Sneaky Pete played one" I'd suggest B6 because it's very logical and a tried/tested platform (with a number of players that can help).

But if you've been playing since 1923 like b0b, though and are well-versed in your C#13th-5 2+7 1/2 codependent....errrr, copedent.... you can undoubtedly play *anything* on it. Even "Red River Valley! In "F". On a Tuesday.

[Donny Hinson]

Playing a single-note melody is one thing, and playing many different four and five note chords is another. You have to keep in mind that the fewer strings, pedals, and levers you have, the more critical the basic tuning becomes when you want to get a particular "sound", or play a certain style of music. One of the main reasons that pedals and levers were developed in the first place was to emulate the sound and chords available with different tunings. A 5+5 guitar gives you a ton of options and sounds, but a 3+1 or 4+0 is another thing entirely.

[b0b]

Just my opinion, Jim Sliff. There are 17000 of them on this forum.

Suggested D6/G copedent for 3+3:

[tab] p1 p2 p3 LKL LKR RK
F# G
D E D#
B C# C
A B
F# G
D E D#
B C
G F# E
[/tab]

[Jim Sliff]

Just my opinion, Jim Sliff. There are 17000 of them on this forum. Razz

Oh, I'm with ya' - and I was trying to lighten it up a bit.

I have no doubt your copedent works fine for most any style, but not having much theory knowledge I can't tell a thing by looking at it except that it has 2 groups of repeating strings, as does the B6 I play

But the question I would ask you if a *new* steel player wanted an 8-string copedent - how many players use it? Are there players that can help and is there any tab around?

I mention that because I honestly don't know, while I know of other 8-string copedents where "support" from more than one person can be found pretty easily.

(As a curiosity - and you can answer me privately if you want and have time...it's not that important...does it relate at all to the "Sneaky B6" copedent? I know you're somewhat familiar with it. If so I might try it out on my spare).